Sleeping-car



(No Model.) l

L. T.BRADS'TREBT. SlllFJ-PIIWG CAR.

N6. 664,626. Patented Peb. 26, 1895.

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LORENZO T. BRADSTREET, OF ROWLEY, MASSACHUSETTS.

SLEEPING-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 534,626, dated February 26, 1895.

Application iiled December 7, 1894. Serial No. 531,154. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LORENZO T. BRAD-v STItEET, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Rowley, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sleeping- Cars, of which the following, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved device or attachment to be used in connection with ordinary railway car seats for the purpose of readily converting such seats into sleeping berths or couches as will hereinafter be more fully shown and described reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of the car seats and the attachment for convertmg such seats into sleeping berths or couches. Fig. 2 represents a top plan view of the upper berths. Fig. 3 represents a top plan view of the lower berths. Fig. 4f represents a detail longitudinal section of one of the telescopic frames or bars for the upper berths; and Fig. 5 representsadetailperspectlve view of one of the canvas covered frames adapted to be secured between the seats for making the lower berths.

Similar letters refer to similar parts wherever they occur on the dierent parts of the drawings.V

In Fig. 1 A represents the iioor of an ordinary passengerV railway day car, on which B represents one of the sides as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. i

0, C, C, represent the seat frames provided wlth cushions D, D, D, and arm rests or sides E, E, to which the backs F, F are pivoted and made reversible as usual.

The lower berth is formed by inserting between the seats D, D and their frames O, C, metal frames G, G, shown in detail in Fig. 5. Each such metal frameis covered with canvas, cloth, rubber'cloth, leather, leatherette or other suitable material g, as shown in Fig. 3. Each such frame G has preferablydownwardly bent ends G G', .adapted to be detachably secured or received into grooves O, O', in the seat frames O, C, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. There are two of such canvasor cloth covered frames G between each pair of seats and it will thus be seen that two seats D, D andv four canvas or cloth covered frames G, G, constitute the lower berth with sleeping accommodations fortwo passengers. In the day time, such frames G, G, are removed from be-V tween the seats and put away in any desired portion of the car as may be most practical and convenient.

The upper berthis formed by attaching to every other seat back F, two or more curved springs H having each a notch or recess h and an upwardly projecting end piece H as shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3. Such springs con- 65 stitute the head or upper ends of the upper berths as shown in Fig. 1.

To the rear of every other seat back F is secured in any suitable manner two or more metal tubes I, I, in which are fitted the ex- 7o pansive telescopic tubes l l" as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4.

c' is a cross bar or metal tube secured to the ends of the tubes I, I, and t is a similarcross bar or metal tube secured to the ends of the tubes II as shown in Figsl, 2 and 4.

K is a canvas, cloth or other sheet which is detachably secured to the said telescopic frame, preferably by means of hooks or other equivalent fastenings lc, k, as shown in Fig. 2. 8o

Where the upper berth is to be used, the back F which carries the telescopic frame is swung upward as shown at X, in Fig. 1, in which positionit may be secured by any suitable fastening, and I have forthis purpose shown in Figs. 1 and 2, hooks L secured to the car side B and adapted to be hooked on or otherwise attached to the outside portion of the telescopic berth frame when the latter is in use.

When the upper berth is to be used, one of the backs F is swung upward as shown atX in Fig. 1, and thesprings H, H, are put in place on the next seat back in the series, preferably by having their Shanks inserted in sockets, grooves or recesses in such seat back, after which the telescopictubes are drawn out, and the bar i laid in the notches h, h, of the springs H, H, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. yThe hooks or fastenings L are thus. applied to xoo such telescopic frame and the canvas or sheet K attached to the said telescopic frame as shown in Fig. 2, by which sleeping accommodation is provided in the upper berth for two persons.

The curved portion of the springs serves to bulge upward the head end of the sheet K thus making a pillow or head rest on such upper berth, which latter is preferably made somewhat higher at the head portion as compared with the foot portion as shown in Fig. l.

When the upper berth is notI in use, all that is necessary to do is to remove the sheet K from the telescopic frame and also to remove the springs H, H, from the seat backs and disconnect the fastenings L from said telescopic frame after which the latter is closed together at the rear of the seat backs as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and said seat backs swung into their normal positions for day use, thus leaving the seats and their backs in their normal positions for day purposes.

The sheets K and springs H, may be stored away during the day in any convenient part of the car as may be found most expedient.

It will thus be seen that by this my very simple and inexpensive device or attachment, an ordinary day oar may readily be converted at night into a sleeping car with sleeping accommodations for an equal number of persons as the seats will hold in the day time.

Having thus fully described the nature, construction, and operation of my invention, I wish to secure by Letters Patent and claimm 1. In combination with railway car seats, two or more tubes I, I, secured to the seat back, and having telescopic tubes I', I, ar-

ranged therein with cross bars i, i, and two or more springs I-I, H, detachably secured to the seat back and a detachable sheet or covering K securedto such telescopic frame substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with railway car seats two or more tubes I, I, secured to the seat back and having telescopic tubes l I arranged therein with cross bars z', i, and two or more springs H, H, detachably secured to the seat back and having notches or recesses 77, and upwardly-projecting ends H', and a detachable sheet or covering K secured to such telescopic frame, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A sleeping car consisting of the seatsD,D, and intermediate sheet covered frames G, G, adapted to be secured to and between the said seats and to constitute the lower'double berth combined with telescopic frames I, I', I, attached to the seat backs and provided with a detachable sheet or covering K and springs H, H, detaehably secured to the seat backs and adapted to serve as supports for the upper or head ends of the telescopic frames to constitute an upper double berth substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses, on this 17th day of November, A. D. 1894.

LORENZO T. BRADSTREET.

Witnesses:

ALBAN ANDRN, LARITZ N. MLLER. 

